Zillah Chronicles
by KamalaC
Summary: All the stories featuring Charlie's pet dog Zillah, and her interactions with the family. Ch 16: Episode Tag to Sabotage. Three points of view on the end-of-ep gathering.
1. Zillah, My Shadow 1

A/N: I decided to put all of the Zillah fics in one place, as I'm attempting to complete something that was floating around on Livejournal several years ago. Basically, there was a table of 100 prompts, and you had to write a fic for each one.

So the Zillah Chronicles will contain 100 chapters in the Zillah-verse, most being one-shots that are loosely connected but with some being direct follow-ons. Each chapter will contain the prompt, and where it fits in the time-line.

Arc One: Zillah, My Shadow

Chapter One: Distractions

Prompt: 001 Beginnings

Summary: After a home invasion goes awry for the bad guys, Alan reflects on the position of Charlie's pet dog in the family.

Timing: After season one ends, but while Terry is still on the team, with flashbacks to earlier.

-ZMS-

There was still blood in her teeth, and her eyes begged him to release her.

Alan Eppes swallowed hard and looked away. The past forty-eight hours had been pure hell for the whole family. Charlie was still in the ICU, in critical condition. Don was trying to help his team figure out what had happened. And Alan was trying to keep the authorities from destroying Zillah.

He wished that Don was there. He could testify that none of the blood on the large dog was Charlie's. Well, not from her attacking him, at least. After her master had been shot, Zillah had been spattered with his blood. However, she had also ripped the shooter's throat out with her powerful jaws.

Alan shuddered again. Those jaws… when he and Don had been tied in the garage, Don had spent several minutes working his hands free. He had made some comment about wishing he had his gun. A few seconds later, there was a scream of pain from outside, and the sounds of a struggle. Shortly after, Zillah had trotted through the dog-door and dropped something at Don's feet.

It was a pistol… still clutched in a hand that was no longer attached to a body.

Alan had been sick, then. Zillah had whimpered in confusion and tried to lick his face, though Alan wouldn't let her. Even Don had looked a little green around the gills, but had picked up the weapon anyway. At least he was now armed, and could go save his little brother.

Now Zillah was in a holding cage, obviously uncomfortable and distressed. It was too small for her, and Alan remembered the first time he'd met his son's beloved pet. It was a welcome distraction from his current hell.

-ZMS-

"Charlie!"

"Hi Dad!" Charlie threw himself into his father's arms. It had been far too long since he'd been home.

"How was the flight? Crowded? Did you get any sleep?" Alan fussed over his youngest, causing Charlie to laugh. He was twenty one, just home from his stint at Oxford in England.

"It was good, but we gotta hurry. Zillah's sedatives will be wearing off soon."

"Zillah?" Alan froze. "Who is Zillah?" Charlie paused as well.

"Didn't I tell you?" At his father's shake of the head, Charlie winced. "Oh… man, I'm such a pillock." Alan smirked – Charlie had picked up a few Briticisms during his stay. "I, uh, I adopted a dog a while back, and couldn't stand to leave her in England. So I brought her back with me. Is… is that okay?"

"Ah, a dog," Alan sighed in relief. "For a minute there I was afraid it was a kid."

"No fear of that," Charlie laughed. "She's a pretty big dog, but so beautiful. And smart, and loyal… wait until you see her!" He enthused as they made their way to the animal collection area. Alan smiled, glad to see his son happy about something that didn't involve numbers.

Once there, they were taken to a particularly large holding cage, and Alan swallowed nervously. They heard a whimper come from inside, and Charlie quickly moved to the mesh door.

"Hey girl," he whispered soothingly. "It's okay. I'm here."

"Good thing too," an attendant quipped. "I doubt that door would do much good if she started to panic."

"Probably not," Charlie shook his head. "But she wouldn't hurt anyone, would you girl?" Another whimper answered him. "Can I let her out? I got her lead right here," Charlie held up a solid-looking lead, and the attendant nodded.

"Normally you'd have to take her out in the cage, but it's bigger than what we usually deal with, and all the carts are being used at the moment… just make sure you keep her under control, okay?"

"Will do," Charlie nodded as he signed the release forms. The attendant unlocked the cage door and stepped to the side.

Alan swallowed hard as the… creature emerged and stretched.

"Charlie," he said slowly, "I thought you said she was a dog. Not half bear, half pony."

Charlie laughed as Zillah shook herself, then sat down. She was enormous. Sitting up at Charlie's side, her head was level with Charlie's hip, and Alan was sure that if she stood on her hind legs, she'd be about as tall as her master. Then he looked closer at the dog's coat and colouring.

"Is she a wolf?" Alan asked in surprise, but Charlie shook his head.

"I let the biology students run a DNA test on her. She's at least half European wolf, but they're sure that there's some German Shepherd, as well as a few other large breeds. She needs a fair bit of exercise, but for the most part she's happy to just lie at my feet while I work."

Alan nodded slowly as Zillah yawned. Every story about wolves he'd ever heard came right back to him as he stared at the powerful jaws and large teeth. It was little comfort that she seemed so attached to his son.

"Well," Charlie stroked Zillah's head and clipped the lead to her collar. "Let's get going. I'll need to take her for a nice long run once we get home."

-ZMS-

The ride home was uneventful. Charlie sat next to his father, chattering away. Zillah lay stretched out on the back seat, still whimpering every now and then. Alan glanced in the rear view mirror, concerned.

"Does… she need something?" He was at a loss as to how he could get the dog to stop emitting those heartbreaking sounds. Charlie just shook his head again.

"She's still coming out of the sedatives, they probably made her feel pretty sick."

"Ah," Alan nodded. He could sympathise with that.

"Will Mum mind?" Charlie asked, suddenly nervous. He couldn't believe that he hadn't warned his parents that he was bringing a dog back with him.

"I doubt it," Alan hastened to reassure his son. "Just as long as she doesn't dig up any of your mother's plants. Or destroy any of the furniture."

"She won't," Charlie grinned. "I have a box filled with ropes tied into knots. I give her one, and she'll spend days destroying that. Once she's done, she'll sit at my feet and whimper until I clean it up and give her a new one."

"That's good. I can't foresee any clashes then."

-ZMS-

It had taken a while for Alan and Margaret to get used to having Charlie had home, and to having a dog around. But Zillah was so obviously attached to Charlie, and he in turn was incredibly attuned to her needs, that soon it was hard to recall what Charlie had been like before the dog came along.

Once Margaret had worked out what the name meant, she and Alan had both laughed and agreed that it was quite appropriate. Zillah meant 'shadow' in Hebrew.

Alan sighed. For a long time, the large dog had almost never left Charlie's side. As she grew more used to the family, and the house, she had started to explore a little on her own. Eventually, after several months, she had gotten to the point where she would no longer stand at the front door and whimper when Charlie left the house. It had been over a year before she was completely comfortable with her master not being there.

After that, she tended to stick pretty close to the two remaining Eppes'. She wasn't constantly at their sides, but she was always in the same room as one of them. She seemed to have accepted that Alan and Margaret were part of her 'pack'.

And Alan realised that the large dog had wormed her way into his heart as well. She was a comforting presence, willing to do anything to protect her pack. Zillah was always aware of when one of them was hurting, either physically or emotionally, and would be there to comfort them. Hell, she'd been the first one to realise that Margaret was sick.

Shaking himself, Alan returned to the present. Enough distractions. Zillah was part of the family, and he wasn't going to let some bureaucratic red tape destroy her for protecting her pack.


	2. Zillah, My Shadow 2

Arc One: Zillah, My Shadow

Chapter Two: Don't Look Back

Prompt: 060 Drink

Summary: In which Don reflects on how Zillah came to become his confidante.

-ZMS-

Don wandered the hospital grounds in a daze. Terry had finally convinced him that he shouldn't be working the case, and should be with his brother. Charlie, however, was still in ICU and unable to have visitors. So he'd gone to help Alan get Zillah back.

Now, Alan and Don took turns sitting in the waiting room while the other walked the grounds with the large dog. She wasn't allowed in the building, and neither Eppes was willing to leave her shut up in the car all day.

Don looked down at the large dog, to see her looking back up at him. Her amber eyes reflected his own sadness, and he smiled a little in recollection. It was a far cry from how she'd looked at him the first time they'd met.

-ZMS-

"Thanks for coming back, Donnie," Alan enveloped his eldest in a hug.

"Hey Dad," Don had barely made it out of his car before the bone-crushing embrace. He was glad to see his father, but regretted the circumstances. "Where is everyone?"

"Your mother's at the hospital," Alan looked down. "She insisted on going by herself, said I should be here to welcome you home." Don sighed and shook his head. His mother was nothing if not stubborn.

"And Charlie?" There was a hint of resignation in Don's voice. He hadn't seen his little brother for years, hadn't even spoken to him for nearly six months.

"Garage," a shadow passed over Alan's face. Don raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but his father just shrugged it off. "He's… he's been out there a lot lately. Zillah's keeping watch though."

"Yeah," Don followed Alan around the side of the house. He'd heard tales of the dog Charlie had brought back from England. A small part of him was a little resentful of that – when he'd found a stray puppy at the age of ten, his parents had made him take it to the pound. He knew that this was a juvenile response, and tried his best to shake it off.

They stepped into view of the garage door, and Don froze. Lying in front of the door like an oversized draft-breaker was what looked like an oversized wolf.

"Dad… that's Zillah?" The creature raised its head as Alan approached, and its tail thumped against the ground. Don thought he could feel the ground shake underneath him – though that could be his overactive imagination.

"Yeah, that's her." Alan crossed the remaining distance and scratched Zillah's ears. Her tail wagged again at the attention, though she kept a wary eye on the stranger.

"Uh, no, Dad," Don shook his head. "That's not a dog. That's a hell-hound. Where'd he get a creature like that?"

Alan chuckled as Zillah stretched, then stood and licked his hand.

"Trust me Donnie, she's a dog. A very loyal and smart dog. Come say hi."

Don sighed and started forward, then paused at a look from Zillah. The dog didn't look keen to befriend him. Alan noticed, and tapped her on the top of her head.

"Don't be like that, Zillah. It's Donnie, he's part of the family." Zillah whimpered a little, then moved forward to investigate. Don kept still, not wanting to give the hell-hound an excuse to attack him. She finished circling and sniffing, then returned to flop down in front of the garage, back to guarding.

Don let out a smile. Apparently she didn't view him as a threat. It was, however, easy to see why his parents had let Charlie keep her. Don wouldn't want to try forcing her to do anything either.

-ZMS-

Months passed, and Don and Zillah gradually grew accustomed to each other. The dog rarely left Charlie, but didn't seem to mind Don's presence in the house. Charlie, on the other hand, refused to leave the garage. That made Don angrier and angrier, until he thought he might burst with the effort of not showing his mother just how upset he was.

Then Margaret finally lost her battle and slipped away forever, and the dam of emotions Don had locked up burst.

He wasn't sure how, but he made it back home from the hospital in one piece. Alan was still there, he'd been so distraught over the past few days that he hadn't been treating himself properly, and had been admitted for observation. Don was just coming home to get him some clean clothes, and then he'd go straight back.

That was until he saw the light on in the garage.

Before he could come to his senses and think calmly, Don had thrown open the door and advanced on his little brother in a rage.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" He growled, making Charlie jump and shy away from him. "What the hell is so important that you wasted the last months of our mother's life?"

"P vs. NP," Charlie whispered, and tried to go back to it, but Don was having none of it.

"It's rubbish!" He yelled, and snatched the chalk out of Charlie's hand. "It's nothing! Just scribbles on a blackboard!"

"It's not nothing, Don," Charlie spoke quietly, head bowed. "Solving this would be the most significant breakthrough-"

"It's bullshit!" Don screamed, grabbing Charlie by the front of the shirt. "You hear me? You just don't get it! Mum's dead, and you wasted your last chance with her!" He slammed Charlie into the blackboard with all his strength. "She's dead, Charlie, she's not coming back!" He was about to shove Charlie again, or maybe punch him this time, when a sound from behind froze his blood.

"Rrrrrrrrrr…"

Don slowly turned his head, to see Zillah standing in the doorway. Her hackles were up, making her seem larger than usual. Her teeth were bared, eyes trained on Don, and he knew in a moment of certainty that if Charlie said the word, his throat would be torn out in seconds. He swallowed hard while he still had the use of his neck.

The world seemed to stand still, and an eternity passed before Don regained the presence of mind to let go of Charlie. Slowly he stepped back, away from his brother, and the growling diminished. Charlie sank to the floor, and whispered Zillah's name.

The change was remarkable. Zillah's hackles went down and her growls changed to soft whimpers. She trotted over to her master and sat in front of him, then began licking his face. Charlie remained motionless for a while, then leaned forward, put his arms around the dog and buried his face in the ruff of her neck.

Don turned to leave, disgusted by his own actions. He'd laid hands on his brother in anger, and he'd never forgive himself for it.

-ZMS-

The night after the funeral, Don sat on the front steps of the family home. He'd finished one beer already, and was partway through the second when he felt another presence nearby. He couldn't be bothered turning to see who it was. After a few seconds, Zillah stepped into view and sat next to him. Don gave a wry smile – like this, she was taller than he was.

Don drained the rest of his beer and turned to look at the dog, and a brief burst of laughter escaped him. She was holding a fresh bottle of beer in her jaws.

"Thanks, Zillah," Don whispered as he took the bottle, without bothering to wonder how she'd gotten it in the first place. She looked at him expectantly, and he quickly looked around. Ah, there was one of her water dishes. He tipped it out onto the ground, then poured some of the beer so that the dog could drink as well.

"Cheers girl," Don clinked the bottle to the side of the dish, and both started drinking. Once she'd finished her beer, Zillah climbed back up to sit next to Don, and waited. After an eternity – or maybe two minutes – Don started speaking.

"I never meant to hurt him," he whispered. "I swear it. I was just so mad… he was always closer to Mum than I was, and she needed him. But he couldn't drag himself away from those damn boards long enough to even say goodbye. Not even long enough to call her and tell her that he loved her. How could he do that? How could he not see that it was tearing us all apart?" By now, the tears that had been loosened by alcohol had started to fall, and for once in his life Don didn't try to stop them.

"I can't believe she's gone. She's always been here, y'know? She's my mum, and she's never gonna listen to me ramble for hours about work and look just as interested at the end as at the start. She's never gonna tell my wife all the embarrassing stories about when I was a kid. She's never gonna teach my daughter how to make her own doll's clothes. Never gonna watch my son hit a home run." He was crying in earnest now. There was no one to impress here, no one he had to be strong for. Just a dog, who was looking at him with deep amber eyes that seemed to hold all the sadness of the world.

Dropping the beer to the ground, Don turned and threw his arms around Zillah and buried his face in the ruff of her neck. It escaped his notice that he was mimicking Charlie's actions of a few days ago. It also escaped his notice, that a figure who had been standing at the front door turned and left.

Zillah noticed though. She watched him leave, then laid her head on the top of Don's. He was a member of her pack now too, and he needed her comfort.

-ZMS-

Don looked down at the large dog by his side, and sighed. Since that night, the beer-sharing had become a tradition. Whenever he was at the family home and had alcohol, at least a quarter always found its way into Zillah's dish. Sometimes it was more – and every now and then, she'd have pretty much an entire bottle to herself, with Don only having a sip or two. Alan had tried protesting, saying that turning the dog into an alcoholic wasn't a great idea, but Charlie just shrugged it off.

The talks were a habit, too. It was nice to be able to vent to someone who wouldn't judge him, and it often gave him insight into how his own mind worked. Countless times Don had found comfort through sharing a drink and one-sided conversation with the hound.

He noticed that Zillah kept looking at the hospital and whimpering, and Don realised with a jolt that it was his turn to provide the comfort. He looked around quickly, then smiled as he caught sight of a pretty nurse.

"Come on, Zillah," he finally spoke, and she responded to his mischievous tone of voice by pricking up her ears and wagging her tail a little. "Enough reminiscing. Let's go talk to that nurse – I think it's time we smuggled you inside to see Charlie."

This time, the force of Zillah's tail wag was nearly enough to knock Don off his feet.


	3. Zillah, My Shadow 3

Arc One: Zillah, My Shadow

Chapter Three: The Fix

Prompt 024: Family

Summary: In which Charlie first met Zillah, and decided to keep her.

Translation notes: English is a stupid language - it doesn't have words for the human parents of a dog. So I turned to Swedish, which does. 'Matte' is for the mother, 'husse' is for the father. I figure that Susan found this out and told Charlie, and so they both use the terms.

-ZMS-

It was raining.

Charlie groaned to himself as he stepped in yet another puddle. There were times when he really hated living in England. It was such a far cry from California.

He shifted his book bag again in an attempt to keep his precious notebooks dry. It didn't seem to make much of a difference. Looking up, Charlie spotted the flat he shared with Susan and smiled. How he'd managed to get into a relationship with her, he still wasn't sure. But he was thankful for it. Charlie was head-over-heels for her.

As he was fishing in his pocket for the key, he looked up and saw some kids further down the street kicking something. He didn't pay them much mind, until he heard a whimper. Looking closer, his stomach tightened in disgust. They were kicking a puppy.

"Hey!" He shouted, letting the anger fill him. The kids looked up, then took off running. Charlie jogged up to the puppy and knelt next to it. There didn't appear to be a collar, or any obvious injuries. It started whimpering, and without thinking, Charlie started stroking its head.

"Shhhh," he whispered, "it's okay. You'll be okay." The puppy seemed to respond to his soothing voice, and its tail started to wag. It looked up at him with deep amber eyes – and Charlie was hooked. He gently picked it up, noting how it was shivering, and placed it underneath his t-shirt. With the warmth and security from his body, by the time they reached the vet's office the puppy had fallen asleep.

-ZMS-

Zillah whimpered as she licked Charlie's hand. He was still sleeping, and she didn't understand why. Don and Alan were worried, she knew, and so was she. Charlie was asleep in a strange bed in a strange building, filled with strange people and the smell of sickness and death. Zillah didn't like it here. She wanted Charlie to wake up so he could take her home.

Don stood guard at the door, to make sure no one found out that he'd smuggled the huge dog inside. It had taken some pretty fast talking to get the nurse to help, but in the end his most charming smile had worked. He could twist any woman with that smile, and knew it.

He just hoped that he'd been right, and that Zillah's presence would help Charlie to wake up.

-ZMS-

At first, Susan had been reluctant to take in the dog – but when it and Charlie gave her nearly identical puppy-dog-eyes, she'd given in with a laugh. And now, she was glad that she had. It had been nearly a month, and Zillah (as Charlie had named her) had yet to have an accident in the house. She was getting over her nervousness of strangers, and obviously adored Charlie. She was also very fond of Susan, but was definitely Charlie's dog.

Susan smiled as she retrieved her key from her handbag. She could hear Zillah's tail thumping against the wall, eager to see 'matte'. Susan let herself in and knelt to pick up the puppy.

"Hey there, Zillah," she laughed. "You missed me, huh? Was husse not paying enough attention?" Zillah just wriggled, trying to get close enough to lick Susan's face.

Smiling, Susan carried the wriggling bundle of fur into the kitchen. She laughed again at seeing Charlie completely spaced out at the dining table, surrounded by notebooks. He was writing furiously, a lot of numbers and symbols that Susan didn't understand. Zillah let out a small whine, and Susan put her down on the floor with a sigh.

Zillah was, for some reason, a very quiet dog. Sometimes she'd whimper or whine, very occasionally she'd growl, but she never seemed to bark. She was also growing at an alarming rate; soon they wouldn't be able to pick her up any more.

As Susan watched, Zillah trotted over to Charlie and began to whimper, before head-butting his leg.

"Just a minute, Zillah," Charlie muttered, and Susan felt an irrational pang of jealousy toward the dog. When Charlie was in the zone, she literally had to pry him away from his work. She stamped it down though – being jealous of a puppy wasn't something she was proud of.

Charlie finished writing then, and pushed his chair back from the table. Zillah's tail was going a mile a minute – she knew what time it was. Charlie chuckled, then went to fetch her lead. The puppy needed a lot of exercise to keep her from getting bored, and secretly Susan was glad – it meant that at least twice a day, Charlie would step away from his equations and go out into the real world.

-ZMS-

A year passed, and these days, they didn't need a lead. Zillah would happily run forwards for a while, then turn and run back to Charlie, always staying in sight. At a call, she would trot back to his side, and would always stop and sit when she came to a road. Of course, she now had a collar and microchip just in case, but Charlie wasn't worried about Zillah running away.

She'd grown a lot, too. Susan smiled as she threw a Frisbee for the dog. Zillah was now tall enough that her head was just below Susan's hips. Her paws were still large for her size, and Charlie had estimated that she was going to grow even more.

Charlie looked up from his position on the park bench, and laughed at the sight of Susan attempting to retrieve the Frisbee. Normally Zillah had no problem returning things that had been thrown for her, but every now and then she decided that she wanted to play tug-of-war. Given her jaw strength, and generally well-muscled build, it was no surprise that Zillah always won. But she liked to play anyway.

"Come on Zillah, darling," Susan was pleading with the hound. "Give the Frisbee to matte." Zillah just shook her head, while still holding on to the disc.

"I don't think she wants to cooperate," Charlie called out, and received a glare from his girlfriend in response.

"I'm aware of that," she called back, hiding a smile. "Whoa!"

Susan was caught off-balance as Zillah suddenly lunged forward. Next thing she knew, Susan was flat on her back, with a happy dog standing over her and licking her face and neck. She laughed and tried to fend off the hound, with little success.

Charlie smiled, and the image was forever burned into his mind.

-ZMS-

At an excited 'yip', Don turned to glare at Zillah, only to find that Charlie's hand was stroking her head. The young man turned half-lidded eyes to his big brother and smiled.

"Heya, Donnie," Charlie whispered.

"Charlie!" Don rushed to stand next to the bed and hit the call button for the nurse, forgetting Zillah's presence. "Good to see you again."

"You too. And you, Zillah," Charlie smiled at his beloved dog, who was wagging her tail happily. At that moment, a nurse came in and froze when she saw Zillah.

"What is that dog doing in here?" She stepped forward to throw Zillah out, but the hound put her ears back and bared some impressive teeth. She didn't growl just yet, but looked intimidating all the same.

Don and Charlie shared a grin, before Don stepped to one side of the room.

"Zillah, come here. Let the nurse check on Charlie."

Immediately, Zillah's ears perked up again, and she trotted over to sit next to Don. She kept a watchful eye on Charlie as first the nurse, then a doctor checked him over. The doctor was a friendly older man who loved to talk.

"So, young Charlie, how do you feel?" He asked his patient as he checked the bandages on Charlie's abdomen.

"Like I just got shot in the stomach," Charlie muttered, making Don smirk. That was the spirit.

There didn't seem to be any damage from staying unconscious for so long, but they'd take him off for various scans anyway. Zillah was not impressed when they wheeled Charlie's bed away, but a simple command kept her at Don's side.

Anyway, Charlie was awake now. She knew he'd come back to her sooner or later.


	4. Zillah's Chew Toy

A/N: Inspired by a Lolcat. Short, sweet, and hopefully funny.

One-shot: Zillah's Chew Toy

Prompt: 027 Parents

Summary: Zillah is bored, and finds something to play with.

Timing: When Charlie is living in England with Susan.

-ZCT-

"Not now, Zillah, darling. I'll take you to the park later." Susan sighed as she went back to her notepad. She was trying to finish an essay, and Zillah wanted to go out and play.

After whimpering for a bit didn't get any result, Zillah trotted off to find something to do. She was so bored, and Charlie wasn't at home. She really wanted to go for a run, but Susan was being silly and playing with the paper instead of with her.

Shortly, she found herself in the bedroom, and saw a drawer open. Curious, she stuck her nose in, and found a box that she remembered Charlie fiddling with sometimes, before she would be sent out of the room. There must be something fun in there, that Charlie and Susan would play with when she wasn't around. Now, she could play with it herself!

A few minutes later, Susan put down her pen with a sigh and stood, knowing that she really should take Zillah out to burn off some energy. Wandering through the flat, she eventually found the adolescent dog, and broke down laughing at the sight. When she'd calmed down, she pulled out her phone and dialled a familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Charlie, it's Susan."

"Hi! What's up? Need me to get something on my way home?"

"Actually, yes, I think we will need something… you see, I think Zillah wants a younger brother or sister."

"What do you mean?"

"She found the box of condoms. And chewed them up."

"Oh… did she eat any of them?"

"I don't think so. She looks quite proud of herself, sitting in the middle of the mess with her tail wagging."

"I'll bet."

"Mmm… so you should probably stop at the pharmacy on the way home. And the pet store, to find her something better to chew on."


	5. Zillah's Vendetta

One-Shot: Zillah's Vendetta

Prompt: 023 Lovers

Summary: Zillah doesn't approve of Don's latest girlfriend.

Timing: Sometime in season one.

-ZV-

"I don't think your dog likes me."

Don let out a chuckle as he wrapped an arm around Melissa's shoulders, then paused as he looked over at Zillah. He was looking after her for the week while Charlie was out of town, and had forgotten to mention this to Melissa before bringing her home for the first time. Now, the large dog was… glaring, that was the only word for it, glaring at Don's new girlfriend. He looked at her for a moment, then shrugged.

"She did that to me first time I met her, too. And she's not actually mine, she's my brother Charlie's. I'm just looking after her for a while." Don tried to reassure Melissa, but she still looked sceptical. "Hey, I know how to smooth things over between you two. C'mere." He pulled Melissa into the kitchen, where he handed her a bowl and a bottle of beer. "Pour some of that out for her, she'll be your best friend in no time."

"Really?" Melissa raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow in disbelief. "You have an alcoholic dog?"

"She's not alcoholic," Don immediately leapt to the hound's defence. "I just give her beer now and then as a treat."

"Right," Melissa still looked doubtful, but squared her shoulders and went back to Don's bedroom, where Zillah was laying stretched out in the middle of the bed.

"Here, girl," she spoke with a false brightness that grated on Don's nerves. He could only imagine what Zillah thought. "I've got some lovely beer for you. Yummy!" Melissa poured the beet into the bowl and put it on the floor.

Zillah raised her head, then slowly stood, and Don thought for a moment that she was going to get down and accept the peace offering. Until she turned around a few times and curled up with her back to Melissa.

Don couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped, which earned him a glare from Melissa.

"It's not funny," she snapped at him. Don bit his lip to refrain from contradicting her – he found it highly amusing.

"Hey, it's no big deal," he eventually offered when he was sure that he wouldn't laugh again. "It's not like you'll come across her that often anyway. Just leave her be, and she'll get used to you eventually."

"I doubt it," Melissa muttered and glared at the dog, before turning and leaving the room. Don glanced at Zillah, and stifled another laugh. She was looking right at him, with an expression that plainly said 'get rid of her'. He then looked back at Melissa, who had her arms crossed over her chest and was glaring at him. He turned back to Zillah and gave her a weak smile.

"You might just be right about her."

Zillah laid her head back down on her paws, quite content as the sounds of an argument floated through from the other room. The interloper would leave soon, which was good. She wasn't good enough to be Don's mate.

A few minutes later, the front door slammed, and Don came back to his room. He quickly undressed and climbed into bed, struggling a little to get under the covers until Zillah got up. She waited until he was settled, then curled up with her head on the other pillow, within easy reach for patting. Don smiled and started to stroke her ears, earning himself a tail-wag.

"So, are you going to do that to every girl I bring home?" He asked in a soft voice, already half asleep. Zillah looked up at him, with a clear 'well, duh,' expression. Chuckling, Don closed his eyes, and soon after the patting stilled. Zillah continued watching him for a while, making sure he was safe, before closing her eyes as well and going back to sleep.


	6. Zillah's Christmas Treat

One-shot: Zillah's Christmas Treat

Prompt: 092 Christmas

Summary: Zillah causes havoc when her family goes out for the evening.

Timing: Charlie's first Christmas at home after returning from England with Zillah.

Translation reminder: 'husse' is the human father of a dog.

-ZCT-

Even though they didn't really celebrate Christmas, every year Margaret Eppes took the festive season as an opportunity to spoil her family with baked goods. This year was special, since it was Charlie's first Christmas home since he'd gone to university in England.

Currently, Margaret was turning a batch of shortbread out onto a wire rack to cool. She was happy with the day's progress, even if a certain large dog had been by her side the entire time she was in the kitchen.

"Zillah!" Margaret tried to growl as she once again stepped on the hound's tail. Zillah didn't seem bothered, as she just started wagging the appendage as soon as it was freed.

"What's she done this time?" Charlie asked as he came in from the dining room, leaving his current project for the time being.

"Your pet keeps getting in the way," his mother rolled her eyes. Zillah just bounded over to get a pat from her husse.

"Her favourite place to be is underfoot," Charlie shrugged and scratched her ears.

"You've got that right," Margaret muttered and turned back to put the pan in the sink. "Why couldn't you get something smaller? Like an elephant?"

Charlie laughed and went over to give his mother a kiss on the cheek. They'd had this conversation often enough, and it always ended with Zillah getting a tummy-rub from Margaret. The matriarch of the family had gotten used to having the large dog in the house very quickly, and now even enjoyed the company.

"You two ready to go?" Alan asked as he entered the kitchen. They had planned to visit some old family friends for the evening.

"Just let me cover these," Margaret replied as she put tea-towels over the shortbread and assorted cakes. Charlie managed to drag Zillah outside and shut the back door behind her.

Soon they were all on their way to a fun evening with friends.

-ZCT-

They arrived home fairly late. Just as Alan was about to unlock the front door, he paused and held up a hand to quiet his family. From the other side, a noise could be heard.

*thump* *thump* *thump*

"Charlie," Alan fixed his youngest with a look. "I thought you shut Zillah outside."

"I did!" Charlie protested.

Alan unlocked the door and carefully opened it, to see Zillah sitting a few feet in front of him, tail thumping against the floor and looking very proud of herself.

"Zillah…" Charlie groaned. "How did you get in?"

Margaret smiled as Charlie pondered the question, but stopped when she got to the kitchen.

"Zillah!" She shouted, properly angry this time. "You rotten fleabag!"

Alan and Charlie ran to see what the problem was, to find an irate Margaret picking up empty cooling racks from the floor.

"How… how much did she get?" Alan asked in wonder.

"Three batches of shortbread, two Christmas cakes and a loaf of bread," Margaret scowled as she presented the now-empty bread bag. "When I get my hands on her…"

Charlie gulped and went to find his beloved Zillah. He knew that soon she'd start feeling ill, and didn't think she'd be doing herself any favours by vomiting in the house.

After a good deal of searching, he returned to his parents. Margaret seemed to have calmed down a little, but now Alan was angry – Zillah's claws had scratched the wooden bench-tops.

"Well?" Alan glared. "Where's the miscreant?"

"Hiding," Charlie smiled. "I think she knows she's in trouble. She managed to squeeze under the front porch. For such a large dog, she can get into some pretty small places."

"She'd better stay there," Alan growled, "or I'll turn her into a dog-skin rug."

"Gotcha," Charlie nodded, swallowing hard. He'd take her some water later to help her feel better. Until then… it was best for both of them to remain in hiding.

-ZCT-

A/N: Taken from a real incident, with my old dog, Tubby. He got into the house on Christmas Eve when we were all out at church, and ate 72 shortbread biscuits, a loaf of bread, a doughnut, and a fishfinger left over from my sister's dinner.

And he couldn't work out why he felt so ill and thirsty for the next week.

RIP Tubby.


	7. Couldn't Care Less

A/N: A very short one-shot inspired by my current dog.

One-shot: Couldn't Care Less

Prompt: 069 Thunder

Summary: Zillah's reaction to thunder-storms.

Timing: Pre-season one, after Margaret's death but when Don's still staying at the family home.

Don jumped as a flash of lightning lit up the night sky.

"Damn," he muttered, and stepped on the gas. He really didn't like storms, and had wanted to get home before it got too bad.

Unfortunately, the heavens chose that moment to open, and the rain poured down. With a growl that was lost in a crash of thunder, Don turned into his street and pulled up in the driveway. From the lights blazing, Alan was home and busy in the kitchen. At least he could look forward to a hot meal.

Quickly, Don exited and locked the car before sprinting to the front door. He let himself in and made his way to the living room.

Once there, he had to laugh. Charlie was sitting on the floor, surrounded by papers and books, with the TV tuned to a sports station. Behind him, Zillah was curled up on the couch. Although she had been asleep, her tail started wagging when she heard Don's laugh.

"I can see how much storms bother her," Don comment wryly. Charlie looked up and grinned.

"Yeah, she's never been too concerned with-" he was cut off by a particularly loud crash of thunder.

Zillah raised her head and let out a loud bark, as though talking back, but immediately put her head back onto her paws and closed her eyes.

A few seconds later she started snoring, and both brothers broke down laughing.


	8. Walking the Dog

NJD-NW-GG-E-HP: Glad you like her. I may do a drawing of her at some point, depending on whether or not I can get it to come out properly.

One-shot: Walking the Dog

Prompt: 005 Outsides

Timing: Just after Charlie starts teaching at CalSci.

Summary: Charlie, Larry and Zillah take a hike.

-WTD-

"Zillah, please give me back my shoe," Charlie pleaded with his dog. Zillah just glared at him, then ran downstairs. Charlie swore under his breath and followed. He was meant to be meeting up with Larry to go on a hike around the CalSci campus, and Zillah had decided to steal one of his walking boots.

"Mum, have you seen Zillah?" He called out as he searched for the hound.

"I think she went outside," Margaret laughed. "Probably went to hide under the porch."

"Damnit," Charlie muttered. There was no way he could get her out from there unless she wanted to come out.

"Sweetheart, why don't you just take her with you?" Margaret suggested. "You know how much she loves walks, and you haven't been at home much lately. She probably just misses you."

Charlie paused and thought about that. He'd started teaching at CalSci three weeks ago, and as a result had spent a great many of his days for the last month at the college. Which meant that Zillah had been left at home with just his parents, probably lonely and bored without him.

"Yeah," he nodded slowly, "that's probably it." Then he smiled. "It's about time Larry met her anyway."

-WTD-

It took about ten minutes to coax Zillah out from under the house. Once she was convinced that Charlie was taking her with him, though, she emerged and dropped the shoe at his feet, earning an ear-scratch.

Upon reaching the campus, Charlie pulled out a Frisbee from his backpack and entertained himself by throwing it for Zillah while they waited for Larry. After a particularly impressive catch, he was startled by the sound of applause. Turning, he saw his friend clapping enthusiastically.

"Bravo, Charles. A magnificent performance."

"Thanks, Larry," Charlie grinned. "She likes to catch things." He was interrupted by Zillah trying to get his attention, by tapping his hand with the Frisbee clenched in her teeth. She looked expectantly up at him, as though to ask 'why aren't you throwing this already?'.

"And this is Zillah, I take it?" Larry laughed.

"Yeah," Charlie nodded. "She was sulking because I kept leaving her at home, so I figured I'd bring her along. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Larry waved one hand in dismissal and held out the other for the dog to sniff. "I've never been much of a one for keeping pets, but I can see that she's good for you."

At that, Zillah liked his fingers and wagged her tail. Both men laughed – it seemed that Larry had her approval.

"Shall we, then?" Larry asked, and the three set off for an afternoon of wandering in the semi-wilderness around CalSci.

-WTD-

Larry enjoyed watching Charlie and Zillah interact. Several times during their excursion, the dog would bound off into the undergrowth chasing something, only to reappear at her master's side in a minute or so. For his part, Charlie didn't seem too fussed about the disappearances as long as she didn't actually catch anything.

After a good hour of walking, they found the stream they'd been looking for, and took a break for lunch. Zillah immediately started drinking form the stream, while Charlie and Larry found a decent rock to sit on.

As soon as Charlie unwrapped his sandwich, however, he found a large dog sitting right in front of him, looking expectant.

"And what makes you think I'm sharing this with you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zillah cocked her head to one side, eyes never leaving the food.

Charlie made a valiant attempt at ignoring her by looking at Larry while they ate and talked. Eventually there was only a tiny piece of sandwich left, and Charlie sighed as he gave in and held it out.

In thanks, Zillah gently took it and swallowed it quickly, then proceeded to lick Charlie's hands.

"Hey, quit that!" Charlie laughed as she rested her front paws on his knees in an effort to lick his face as well.

"Maybe you taste like sandwich now," Larry suggested.

Zillah wagged her tail as she finally relented and went back to take another drink.

-WTD-

Nearly two hours later, Charlie stumbled back into his house and collapsed on the couch in the living room. Zillah followed right behind him, going so far as to climb up onto the couch and curl up on top of Charlie.

Margaret poked her head in and laughed at the sight.

"So, the re-bonding went well I take it?"

The only answer was a muffled groan from Charlie, and the thump of Zillah's tail against the back of the couch.


	9. Zillah's Bath Time

A/N: On a plane trip recently, I was bored and drew illustrations for several of my stories – including a picture of Don and Zillah. If you want to see, the link can be found on my profile page.

One-shot: Zillah's Bath Time

Prompt: 017 Brown

Summary: Charlie gives Zillah her first bath.

Timing: Back when Charlie and Susan were living together in London, a few months after adopting Zillah.

-ZBT-

Susan let herself into their apartment, humming softly to herself, then froze in shock. There was mud all over the hallway, in a trail leading to the bathroom. Without looking, she put her keys and handbag down on the hall table and, in a daze, went to investigate.

Pausing outside of the door, Susan heard her boyfriend struggling with something, and a lot of splashing, before he uttered one word which clarified everything.

"Zillah!"

It sounded as though the young genius was pleading with his pet puppy, who apparently wasn't cooperating.

"Zillah, please!"

Susan chuckled and turned away. She was still getting used to having the large bundle of fur in the house, but it was very entertaining to watch the puppy and the mathematician interacting. There were times when Zillah seemed almost human, and she'd already worked out that the best way to get treats was to look cute.

Nearly half an hour later, the bathroom door opened and Zillah came tearing out into the kitchen, where Susan was cooking dinner. The large puppy skidded to a halt and sat at her matte's feet, pleading for a treat with her eyes. A few moments later Charlie appeared, and Susan had to laugh.

Charlie was soaked from head to foot and looked extremely disgruntled. He shot a glare at his puppy, but it melted into a smile when she turned to look up at him.

"Dare I ask?" Susan commented, earning a huff in return.

"We went down to the park, and someone," he shot the pup a pointed stare, making her wag her tail, "decided that mud is the season's must-have accessory. She managed to completely cover herself before I could pull her away!"

"Hence the hall," Susan laughed. Charlie nodded in chagrin.

"She had a big shake when we came in, before I could get her to the bathroom. I'm really sorry, I'll clean it up. I promise."

Susan nodded and turned back to the stove, smiling. It was the first big mess that Zillah had made, and it was only mud. She figured that it could have been worse.

A cold nose pressed against her leg, and Susan looked down. Meeting Zillah's eyes, she couldn't help but laugh before leaning down to scratch the pup's ears. Zillah closed her eyes in contentment as long fingers ran through her fur.

"Well," Susan shrugged and stood again, "at least she's nice and clean now. What did you use to wash her?"

"Wool softener. Apparently it works well to get dirt out of fur."

Susan rolled her eyes skyward, but refrained from saying anything. The next time Charlie went shopping, though, he found that she'd added dog shampoo to the list.


	10. Dogs Know

A/N: And we're back! In the mood for writing, so Zillah gets an update. Baseball Don & Baby-Doll Redux should get one soon… maybe.

One-Shot: Dogs Know

Prompt: 035 Sixth Sense

Summary: Zillah knew before anyone else.

Timing: When the family finds out that Margaret has cancer.

-DK-

One morning, as Margaret stepped out of the shower, she saw Zillah sitting by the door connecting to the main bedroom. The hound was looking up at her with eyes that seemed to be sad, much more so than usual.

"What's wrong, girl?" Margaret asked as she grabbed a towel to start drying off. "Did Charlie lock you out of his room again?"

In answer, Zillah let out a whimper and trotted forwards, butting her head against Margaret's leg. The woman smiled and rubbed her head, confused at the dog's behaviour. She quickly dried off and dressed herself, Zillah staying close beside her the whole time.

"Come on girl, let's go have breakfast." Margaret paused after saying that – something that would normally have Zillah bolting downstairs, today just made the dog trot along at her side. There must have been something wrong with the poor beast, and Margaret decided that she should probably see a vet.

-DK-

Over the next few days, Margaret began to suspect that there was nothing wrong with Zillah, but something was wrong with herself. She'd started feeling a little off colour, and the dog had hardly left her side. Charlie and Alan had both been confused about it, though both tried to find rational explanations for it.

Instead of trying to understand Zillah, Margaret decided to check her own health. Dogs were meant to be able to tell when someone was sick, often before they knew themselves. So she sat down and made a list of everything that had seemed off in the last few days, and went to see a doctor.

When she got home from the hospital to an empty house – other than Zillah of course – Margaret curled up on her bed with the dog and cried. The doctor had done a thorough check, and had found a lump in her breast. He was fairly sure that it was cancer, and had started running a few tests. When he got the results back, Margaret would have to return and face the fact that she could be very sick.

Zillah allowed herself to be cried on. She knew that Margaret would want to put on a brave face for the rest of the family, but for now she was allowed to be afraid. For now, Zillah was the strong one, and would do anything for her.

-DK-

When Don and Alan made their way to the car, knowing that Margaret wasn't going to last much longer, Zillah sat at the top of the driveway and watched them go. Looking at her, Alan remembered what Margaret had said about Zillah knowing before anyone else about her cancer, and he paused in front of the dog. Kneeling, he looked her in the eye, and choked back a sob.

It was clear from the way Zillah leaned forward and licked his face in comfort, before nudging him with her nose towards the car.

Margaret was dying, and Zillah was telling him to be by her side.

After that, Alan always turned to Zillah when he though one of his children could be in danger – for she always knew before anyone else. And as long as she didn't give him that look when Don was out on a case, he knew he didn't have to worry as much.


	11. Episode Tag: Pilot

A/N: Next up we have a series of extremely short episode-tags - all to be uploaded as they're finished, so should have a couple a day for a few days. Then back to some hopefully longer ones.

Episode Tag: Pilot

Prompt: 097 Writer's Choice (Numbers)

"Everything is numbers."

Charlie had said that so many times over the last few days, and Don was starting to really understand that it was how his little brother saw the world. It was a view that didn't make sense to him, but apparently it worked for Charlie.

He paused for a moment then, considering the new perspective, before blinking and getting back to work. No matter how he tried, Don knew that he'd never fully understand how Charlie's mind worked.

-ETP-

"Hey Zillah," Charlie grinned as he greeted his large friend, who immediately tried to lick his face. "Erk! No, no kisses!"

Laughing, he finally managed to fend off the hound and enter the house. Charlie was happier than he'd been for a while now – he knew that he and Don were on their way to a better understanding of each other. Or at the very least, more tolerance.

In celebration of the case having a successful conclusion, Charlie quickly found Zillah's lead and a plastic bag, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and headed out with his loyal companion.

-ETP-

When Don arrived at the house late that evening, he had to stifle a laugh. For some reason, Charlie was curled up asleep on the floor of the living room, while Zillah was stretched out on the couch.

Maybe he didn't understand how his little brother thought – but maybe he didn't have to. Charlie would do anything for his family, including his dog, and that was enough for Don.


	12. Episode Tag: Uncertainty Principle

A/N: Ruby, you have a point – but in the first two episodes, he doesn't seem to have much understanding of Charlie's mind. It's only as the series progresses, and the brothers continue to work together, that Don starts figuring it out. Charlie mostly remains oblivious, I think most would agree – at least for the first couple of seasons, which is all I've seen. But thanks for taking the time to review.

This one… not my best work. But it was kinda amusing, so I thought I'd share it anyway.

Episode tag: Uncertainty Principle

Prompt: 058 Dinner

"I tell you, if your mother could see you two boys now, she would be… so proud."

Charlie and Don shot each other embarrassed glances. They simply didn't know how to deal with emotional issues.

As if sensing this, Zillah broke the mood by sitting up and resting her head on the table next to Charlie's arm and gave Alan a baleful look. All three men let out a chuckle as the serious mood was broken.

"Yes, you too, Zillah," Alan conceded. "You managed to physically drag Charlie out of the garage, not many people can do that."

"Wait, she did what?" Don looked surprised, while Charlie looked embarrassed again.

"Yeah, she kinda helped me get out of the bubble. I'd been working for fourteen hours straight, and I guess she'd had enough. She caught my jeans and pulled me into the house, depositing me into the lounge with Dad, and refused to let me get back out until I'd talked to him."

"Really?" Don looked at Alan, who grinned back at him.

"Really. It was certainly interesting to watch."

"Woah," the elder son turned back to the dog in question, who did have a rather smug look on her face. "So in a way, we've got Zillah to thank for the stats we needed to solve the case."

"In a way," Charlie nodded, willing to share credit with his dog.

"So…" "Don smiled fondly at the hound. "Who wants a celebratory beer?"

Zillah beat him to the fridge.


	13. Episode Tag: Vector

Episode Tag: Vector

Prompt: 072 Fixed

"I can't tell you, Don. It's uh… it's top secret."

"Why, you little-" Don lunged at his younger brother, tickling him mercilessly.

Sitting a few feet away, Zillah watched with her tail wagging. She liked seeing her humans playing together, though it rarely happened. They weren't exactly an overly physical mob, except when it came to her.

After a while, the brothers lay on the patio side by side, watching the stars, and Zillah trotted forwards to lay across their legs, trapping them both there.

"Zillah, gerroff," Don muttered, though without much conviction. While heavy, her furry mass wasn't actually uncomfortable.

"Hey Don," Charlie turned to look at him, "when I turned up at that quarantined house… had you been talking about me?"

"Maybe," Don looked up, firmly refusing to meet his brother's questioning stare.

"Why were you?" Charlie continued, not put off by the evasive answer.

Realising that he wasn't going to leave it – and with Zillah lying on top of him, he couldn't go anywhere – Don sighed and shrugged.

"Because the CDC lady said that we'd need a top-level mathematician. And I figured that since you've come up with some pretty good results when we tell you something isn't math-related, I wanted to see what you could do when it was."

"Oh, you were curious." Charlie seemed to accept that – but the canine glare told him that Zillah didn't. So, strictly in the cause of being able to move again sometime in the near future, Don decided to add a bit more.

"And there's the fact that I don't understand that kind of math. I need to trust something that I don't understand, and that's less likely if I don't know the person doing the numbers."

"You trust me?" Charlie whispered, sounding disproportionately happy. Don turned to look at him and smiled.

"Well, yeah. You're my brother."

The smile he got in answer told him that had been the best thing he could have said.


	14. Episode Tag: Structural Corruption

Episode Tag: Structural Corruption

Prompt: 100 Writer's Choice (Just right)

Warnings: Deals with issues surrounding suicide. No actual character death.

-JR-

"You know, in Finn's letter, he said that part of the reason he… was that he felt nobody understood him. He, uh… he said that he felt so alone."

Mrs Montgomery's words came back to Charlie as he leaned against the bridge railing. He remembered being much like Finn, feeling that no one understood him. Hell, there had been times when Charlie had come close to doing something permanent about his feelings of isolation, but something had always held him back.

For a long time, it had been the thought of his mother. Even if she hadn't understood the math, she'd done her best to understand the boy.

Alan had never really understood, but it didn't really matter – he'd supported both of his sons anyway, loving them as every good father loves his children.

And Donnie…

Well, there was very little understanding between the siblings as they grew. Things were better now, though. Now each brother had his area of expertise, and they were slowly getting used to having those areas overlap. So while there wasn't exactly understanding, there was a strong sense of camaraderie and brotherhood that Charlie enjoyed.

And of course, outside the family, he had Larry – his fellow science geek who might not understand math as well as he did, but who understood the passion and the life of academia. Amita came the closest to understanding the math. While she didn't have the instinctive knowledge of numbers, she had learned it and was more than capable of keeping up.

As he mused on all this, Charlie felt a cold, wet nose press against his leg and looked down. Zillah looked back, with an expression that clearly said 'well? Why are we stopping here and not continuing with our walkies?' Charlie laughed and gave her a quick ear scratch, before turning from the bridge and following Zillah.

Understanding from others was all well and good, but most days Charlie was content with the love and support offered by his family, his friends, and his dog.


	15. Episode Tag: Prime Suspect

Episode Tag: Prime Suspect

Prompt: 015 Blue

For some reason, it was Emma's blue dress that stayed in Don's mind.

It was the weekend after returning little Emma to her thankful parents, and Don was sitting on the porch of what was now Charlie's house, sharing a beer with Zillah. He wasn't sure why it was the dress that was stuck in his head – there were so many other things to remember. Like the way she had clung to him when he took her from the bad guys. The way her parents had held her and collapsed into a pile of hugs upon being reunited with their daughter. The way they had all smiled and thanked him in between telling Emma how much they'd missed her.

Then something occurred to Don, and he paused thoughtfully.

Maybe the dress was in his head because there were no stains on it. Not dirt, not blood. They had found her before the kidnappers could actually hurt her, and had gotten her back without having to shoot her captor.

There were so few cases that were solved with this little bloodshed, but Emma's blue dress was proof that they could do it. And that thought was enough to keep his spirits high for the rest of the weekend.


	16. Episode Tag: Sabotage

Episode Tag: Sabotage

Prompt: 026 Teammates

A/N: Don's final comment can be taken as sarcastic or not… depending on how you want to read it.

-TM-

Alan smiled as he watched the group interacting. Charlie was giving David and Terry a lecture on mathematics, while Don and Amita spoke about her involvement with the consulting. The mood was relaxed and jovial, everyone unwinding after a successful – but stressful – case.

As he took some empty plates through to the kitchen, Alan took another look at Don and Amita. If he didn't know better, he'd have thought they were flirting – but surely it was just being friendly. After all, Amita liked Charlie, and he liked her as well. They just hadn't gotten around to telling each other yet.

-TM-

Charlie watched from the corner of his eye as Don and Amita talked. He could clearly remember Don's earlier comment, and couldn't help but be a little concerned. Don had always been more popular with women than he had, whether in high school or in adult life.

Then he had to wonder whether or not he had the right to feel territorial about Amita. She was a beautiful, intelligent girl – no, woman – and could have any man she wanted. Just because he didn't know of any recent boyfriends didn't mean there weren't any, and it wasn't as though he'd told her of his thoughts.

But the fact remained that she was his student – and he felt reluctant to ask her out while she was.

Sighing, he turned back to the conversation, idly dropping a hand to stroke Zillah's head as she nuzzled his side.

-TM-

Don caught the concerned look that Charlie sent him, and toned down his smiles. He kept forgetting that Amita was Charlie's girl, even if it wasn't official. They'd make a great couple eventually, he knew. He'd just have to admire Amita without making a move on her.

He'd treat her like a team mate - after all, it was working so well with Terry.


End file.
